Improvement in mash-rakes



0. KAESTN'EIL Mash-Rakes.

No. 207,283. Patented Aug. 20;1878.

UNITED CHARLES' xnnsrnnn," or enieneo, trainers.

IMPROVEMENT :N MASH-RAKES. l

Spccicationforming part of Letters Patent No. 20%',2S3, date-d August 20, 1878; application' filed n i J une 2l, 1878.

To -all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES KAESTNER, of Chicago, in the. county oftCook, and in the State of lllinois,"have invented certain new and use-fut Improvements in Mash-Rakes; and do hereby declare that the following is a full,

clear, and'exact description thereof, referencel being had to the accompanying drawings,

making a part of this specification, in which is shown, in perspective, my improved apparatus asarranged within a mash-tub, a portion of the side wall of the latter being removed, so as to show the interior arrangement.

In the brewingof beer and other like fer-4 mented'liduids, much diihculty has been experienced in stirring the grain within the mash- ,tub, that portionnearthe bottom o thel tubA to move toward the discharge-opening whenv it is necessary to empty the tub, substantially as is hereinafter shown.

It consists,iinally, in arranging the Scrapers in a dodged77 form, so as to afford more clearance to the grain, substantially as is hereinafter set forth.

In the annexed drawing, A represents the side wall, and 4B the bottom, 'of a mash-.tub of the usual form, within which, at its axial center, is journaled a vertical shaft, C, that is r0- tated, when desired, by any suitable means.

At a point between the upper and lower ends of the shaft C is secured a bar, D, which projects horizontally outward to equal distance, and at each end is provided with an arm, E, that extends downward, and at its-lower end has a horizontal sleeve, e, within which and within a bearing, F, that is secured to the lower end of said shaft O, rests a shaft, G, which extends radially outward nearly to the wall A of the tub.

One of the shafts G is confined in place within its-bearings, while the opposite shaft G is capable of rotation and is caused to re volve, when the lshaft C is rotated, by means of va bevel-gear, 11, which is secured to or upon a suitable support at the lower end of said shaft G` and meshes with a beveLpinion, l, th at is attached to the inner end of said shaft Gr.

At suitable points upon the rotary shaft G are secured radial rakes or agitatois K, which have such length as to cause each to nearly touch the tub bottom B at each revolution of said shaft. Said rakes are, preferably, arranged upon a spiral line along said shaft.

Secured to or upon the iixed shaft G are a number of Scrapers, L, which extend downward nearly te the bottom B of the mash-tub, and at their lower ends have such length, radially, as to cause the whole of said tub-bottom to be passed over at each rotation of the,I shaft C. The forward face of each scraper L hasan upward and a rearward inclination, so that,

when grain is placed within the tub and the shaft (l is caused to rotate, said Scrapers will lift said grain from the betteln of' said tub as they pass beneath it.

The Scrapers L are alternately extended fon ward and rearward from the shaft G, so as te allow clearance, while their forward edges are set at such angles with relation to an opening, b, which is made in the betteln B for the discharge of grain, as to cause said grain to move toward said opening from all points.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: The crushed or ground grain being placed within the tub, and water added, the shaft C is set in motion 'and the mash thoroughly mixed by the combined action of the revolving ralres K and horizontally-moving Scrapers L. After the process is complete the wort is drawn ofi from the tub and the grain then discharged through the opening b, as before described.

llhile vthe revolving relies perl-erm an. important office in stirring np the mash, itis 'onnd that they do not agit-ate all'of the grain that rests upon the bottoni of the tub, and that, it' said ralies alone were employed, a portion of said grain would not be properly acted upon, amlmight operate to clog the tub; but by f use of the Scrapers each portion of -said grain which rests upon the bottom of said tub lis moved, and the whole mass so thoroughly agi- -tated as to insure a maximum production of Wort from a given amount of grain.

l Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits' of my invention, what I claim as new 1. In a mashltub, the combination of verti- -callyami horizontally revolving rakcs or `agitators K and' horizontally-'rotating Scrapers L,

substantially as. and for the purpose specified.

24111 combination Witha mash-tub, scrapers L, which are secured. upon a fixed armv that revolves around the axis of said tub, and have their faces inclined rearward and toward the circle upon which is located the dischargeopening b, whereby the solid contents of said mash-tnbmay be moved toancl caused to pass through said. opening, substantially as and for the purpose shown. r

3. In combination with a mash-tub, a series of horizontally-rotating Scrapers, L, which are alternately set forward and in rear of theirv 

